NBA Finals Game 1: Great Game

[Clarkmeister]

Spurs can't finish, as usual, and Dallas keeps coming, as usual. The NBA Finals sure look like they are going 7 games this year. Great first game and hopefully 6 more great ones.

[andyfox]

Not the finals, but it might as well be, as the winner will surely win the Championship. Once Parker matures, or if they get someone more mature (Kidd?), the Spurs will be able to finish. They also need someone who can knock down free throws.

Dallas made, what, 49 free throws in a row? Wow!

Mark Cuban is even more obnoxious than Kobe Bryant. Which is saying something. So I'm pulling for San Antonio.

[Clarkmeister]

I like Cuban. I don't know how you could *not* like Cuban. He's freaking awesome. I can identify with him. Dude is living out what every kid dreams of doing, but unlike the owner of the Orioles (for example), he lets his basketball people make the decisions.

In this day of supposedly poor fundamentals, its really refreshing to see a team able to step up to the line and knock them down. If they even shoot 90% instead of 98% they lose the game.

Its officially the NBA Finals for me. /forums/images/icons/wink.gif Just like for years the NFC Title game was the Super Bowl when Dallas and SF squared off.

[Josh W]

You are both right. I love Mark Cuban, but he is annoying. Kinda like Bill Walton (although I realize, fully, why many don't like him). However, Andy, I just gotta know...is Cuban more annoying than Shaq? To me, it's an easy "no", but was wondering what you thought...

An amazing game, to be sure. 6 more great ones to come, although I do think that the Spurs will blow out Dallas in game 5 (random thought, I know).

Josh

[IrishHand]

The NBA Finals were concluded last week, and the Spurs have their rings on order.

[Dr Wogga]

......Fundamentals? Hitting 49 free throws in a row is an abberation we will likely not see again in our lifetime. This was a fluke, albeit a great one. They are an excellent free-throw shooting team and last night's win was clearly due to them hitting their FT's.

As for fundamental basketball, the Mavs hardly play any D at all, and their offense is way too much schoolyard one-on-ones. That said, this is an excellent series of contrasting styles. Me-thinks if the Spurs try to play up-n-down hoops with the Mavs, they will lose. The Spurs have been a grind-it-out D-oriented team all year - running as they did, you could see them lose their stamina down the stretch. Duncan's free throws were laser-like line drives at the end of the game - no soft touch, hope to get a favorable roll there - just clang, clang, clang. Certainly no fundamentals there either!

Last thought: Not so sure either Dallas or the Spurs are going to waltz past Nets-Piston winnner either this year. Just a hunch, but if NJ makes it past Detroit, I give them better than a puncher's chance of beating either west finalist.

[Clarkmeister]

Jersey would get swept by San Antonio, though I grant you they may win a game against Dallas.

[Dr Wogga]

...not this year. We will see - 1st they both have to get there

[Clarkmeister]

Nah, unlike the east, clearly Dallas has a chance against San Antonio. Game 1 on the road is evidence of that.

The line here in Vegas before the series was 3-1 in favor of San Antonio. RIght now it is 3-2 in favor of San Antonio. That's a legitimate series. By comparison, whoever wins the west would be between a 6-1 and 9-1 chalk.

[andyfox]

Living in L.A., I see and hear about Shaw more often than Cuban, so he'd be above Cuban on the obnoxious list.

I was struck by the difference in the tone of the game to the San Antonio-Lakers games. San Antonio picked up the Laker guards in the backcourt and the Lakers, after the first game loss, brought Shaq out to the top of the key to better space their triangle. These things made for slowmoving, deliberately paced games.

Last night's game was like a free-for-all by comparison. High scoring and fast paced despite all the free throws. Very exciting and fun to watch.

You think we'll ever see a team make 49 out of 50 free throws in a game again? Remarkable!

[Simon Diamond]

As a Spurs fan, I sincerely hope they can go all the way - but I have to say, what a great team Dallas are to watch.

Also, what would happen if you took Nowitzki out of the Dallas lineup and Duncan out of the Spurs lineup. Would the Spurs stand any chance?

Simon

[IrishHand]

Also, what would happen if you took Nowitzki out of the Dallas lineup and Duncan out of the Spurs lineup. Would the Spurs stand any chance?
No.